Passenger restraint systems are designed to reduce the risk of serious injury or death to a passenger involved in a vehicular accident. Three types of passenger restraint systems, including seat belts, air bags, and web restraints, are found in the prior art.
For many years, conventional seat belts have been installed in vehicles. When used properly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of serious injury or death resulting from a vehicular crash. However, conventional seat belts have several shortcomings. First, a seat belt is an active restraint system requiring that the passenger buckle the belt each time the passenger enters the vehicle. Second, conventional seat belts often do not properly fit passengers such as short adults and children. During a crash, an improperly worn seat belt may cause serious injury or death. Third, seat belts alone do not provide passengers with the maximum amount of protection available. The risk of serious injury or death resulting from a vehicular crash is further reduced when a seat belt is used in conjunction with a passive restraint system such as an air bag.
Recently, air bag systems have been installed in vehicles. Conventional air bag systems protect front seat passengers by deploying a bag filled with pressurized gas during front or side impact collisions. Conventional air bag systems, in cooperation with a seat belt system, further reduce the risk of serious injury or death during a vehicular crash. Nevertheless, such air bag systems also have shortcomings. Crash reports indicate that short adults and children are especially prone to injury from air bag deployment. Further, after deployment of the air bag during a first impact, the air bag deflates and can not protect the passenger during a second consecutive impact. Additionally, conventional air bags do not provide protection to passengers seated in the rear of the vehicle.
A third type of passenger restraint system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,672 issued on Jul. 13, 1993 to Husted. During a crash, this restraint system traps the upper body of the occupant within a web. While this system claims advantages over conventional air bag systems, it also has several shortcomings. For one, the webbed surface of the webbing may cause injuries to the passenger during and after deployment.